Hi all,

I'm one of the folks who worked on the Hall of Fire fan magazine that supported Decipher's LotR RPG. I finally got my copy of TOR for Christmas and I'm thrilled with the work of Francesco (and company).

I'm making plans for a similar fan publication focused on TOR, and I'd love to get your thoughts on it. First, some thoughts of my own:

1) Would C7 and Francesco have any objection to such a publication, assuming it does not illegally use or infringe on copyrighted content? Or, if there's no outright objection, do they have any concerns or advice?

2) I want the fan publication to keep with the spirit of the game. TOR isn't a power-gamer RPG. Game mechanics are somewhat minimal (though rich) and narrative is given pride of place over dice rolls. So I don't want to simply churn out a bunch of "feats" and "powers" for this game.

3) I'm thinking that each issue would include the following kinds of articles (1 or 2 of each): game rule clarifications, setting lore, new game elements (char options, monsters, items, etc.), player interviews, and a short adventure or scenario.

4) No commitment to a permanent publication schedule, although I anticipate monthly releases early on, maybe tapering off to bi-monthly or quarterly in the future.

5) I'd like to use this forum as a proving ground for ideas submitted to the magazine, if that's okay. I've come up with my share of ill-considered game options and rules in the past, and I hope you folks can help weed out the stinkers or improve them.

I don't have a name picked out yet. (Any ideas?)

If you want to see the Hall of Fire issues I worked on, I was mostly active between issues 35-48, doing the layouts and contributing articles. You can get the PDFs from here: http://halloffire.org/

That's enough blah, blah, blah from me for now. I'm glad to finally be on these boards. I'm open to hearing anyone's thoughts, suggestions and criticisms.

David "Iss" D.

Personally I think it's a fantastic idea.

Since discovering TOR and having been directed to the old HoF webzine for Deciper's LotR game, I have to say I have been very impressed with the issues I've read thus far.


Ideas for names:


The Shadow Source
The Fellowship Webzine
Second Breakfast
Elevensees

That would be AWESOME!!

I think the Hall of Fire itself would be a good source of material for the new magazine.
I have been following Hall of Fire from almost the begining and I must admit that it was the little flame that kept warm the dying body of Decipher's game for many years for me. (Along with starwars d6, Decipher's LOTR RPG has been the RPG I've played most overall)

In my humble opinion, the most useful things in Hall of Fire were the adventure seeds and ideas for NPCs, places and magic, along with the reworked rules meant to replace the many broken ones from Decipher. Not all of that could be directly transferred to The One Ring, of course, but there are many gems there that require little or no adaptation.

The publisher could maybe frown a little on contents that could overlap their own yet-to-be-released works, like new races likely to appear in upcoming supplements like rohirrim, gondorian, etc.
But there are many places where, due to license restrictions, Francesco or Cubicle7 cannot go and we can because no legal bounds tie our hands (as long as SOPA, PIPA or ACTA don't come to ruin the whole internet), like the material regarding stories from Silmarillion or, staying in the same timespan, lands or characters not directly covered by the LOTR and The Hobbit.

I like that one.

/wolf

I'd support it.

I also agree with Azrapse that it should avoid stepping on the toes of any official product from the publisher.
One question though. Will the new Webzine accept new submissions on subjects that have been covered previously in HOF(or other sources such as OH and OM) or do you intend to regard those previous articles as definitive?
Some of us, on this forum, have been discussing the possibility of a community gazetteer for the Kingdom of Dale, but Dale has already been covered in HOF.

I'm loving the name "Second Breakfast". Even if it doesn't become the magazine's name, it at least needs to be the title of a regular section.

That's good to know. From other threads on these boards, it seems there's an appetite for published adventures while we wait for Tales From Wilderland, so that'll definitely be an area to focus on.

As far as re-using content from HoF goes, I'd contact the original authors first and ask their permission, and also give them dibs on the task of adapting their earlier work for TOR if they're interested.

But as much great content as HoF has, I'd really like to "start fresh" and create new stuff for TOR as much as possible. TOR feels like a whole new ball game to me.

And I agree with both of you. I mean to try to keep the focus of the new magazine *mostly* on areas already covered by the official books. But I don't see much of a problem with fan content that overlaps areas to be covered by future C7 books. (Francesco et al, please tell me if you disagree.)

As for the proposed Dale gazetteer, I guess my feeling is this: I don't want the new magazine to dominate the landscape of fan-created TOR material. I want it to be really good, for sure, but it should just be one resource among many. I certainly wouldn't want people to feel that they need to funnel their own work through it. So a Dale gazetteer could find a home in the new mag, or be its own independent production. Whatever would best serve the playing community is the way to go.

David,

You (& Matt & the rest) have done a brilliant job with HOF. I've read every issue from the outset & have always supported you. Thank you again for all of your hard work for LOTR & for stepping-up on TOR.

Your intention of creating a webzine for TOR intrigues me. I wondered if you read these forums & considered the possiblity thereof, so very cool .

Provided - as you've already said - that the staff at C7 agree & that you keep everything reasonably canonical to the rules & the spirit of Tolkien, than I heartily approve your plans. If they give you the green light, I'll happily support you in any way that I can.

If your plan proceeds, please feel free to use anything that I've ever posted on here or do in the future.

A couple of quick comments:

1. It's tough to beat Hall of Fire for a name, but Second Breakfast rocks - a suitably Hobbit title that has my vote.

2. I hope that you succeed in gaining permission from the previous contributors to HOF for TOR. Please do so - this is good news indeed if they're willing!

3. Since you ask, adventures & source material take my vote for preferred material. Yes, C7 intends to publish some within Tales from Wilderland & future releases, but even if they continue with their superlative quality, they'll leave gaps. Heck, MERP has dozens of supplements & doesn't cover everything, because Middle-earth has so many adventure possiblities.

I'm definitely a fan of Hall of Fire and would relish seeing something like that fine work in support of The One Ring RPG! And, as Mim so eloquently put it, "please feel free to use anything that I've ever posted on here or do in the future," as well!

I, too, like the name "Second Breakfast", but just not as the name of the 'zine. As the name of the 'zine, it sounds too much like a sequel (or just another meal). My thoughts are that this 'zine should NOT be anything like a sequel, and surely not "just another meal". I'd prefer "Second Breakfast" to be, as Issachar suggested, the title of a regular section within the 'zine ... perhaps one that reexamines previously released material and offers variants?

As for 'zine names, I offer:

• Councils from the Last Homely House
• Middle-earth Gazetteer
• The Palantír
• The Rediscovered/Recovered Palantír
• The White Tree
• Words from The Wise
• Great Smials Legacy
• The 15th Companion — by way of explaining this one ... 13 dwarves, Mr. Baggins is number 14, and the 'zine is number 15 ...
• Wisdom of the Thrushes
• The Thrush's Messages

I think this is a fantastic idea! I have every single HoF printed and bound per volume and I love reading through older articles!

Its funny you mentioned a fanzine because I was thinking that TOR needed something to keep the fires alive in players while we wait for more supplements for the game. I even created a mock fanzine cover just for the hell of it. I called my version "A Road Less Travelled" as I thought it best described gaming in Middle Earth.



But I'm sure that whatever you name it, it will be a fantastic resource for TOR players just as HoF has been for the Decipher LotR RPG.

Wonderful idea!

For sections, I would like to suggest a section dedicated to campaign ideas, and one to adventure ideas. Then, layout a third section that provides an actual adventure.

For the first suggestion, campaign ideas, I would vote for a "Prelude to The Darkening of Mirkwood" in the spirit of The Hobbot's subtitle. We have five years from the suggested start date provided in the core set, 2946, until the release of C7's planned campaign The Darkening of Mirkwood. With fan material, we could provide campaign ideas complete with narrative outlines and plot timelines that could, through differing perspectives, angles, and approaches preapre and lead a Fellowship to the release of said campaign supplement. Each issue could showcase one such suggested campaign idea. As the issues accumulate, we would have a wealth of perspectives on the responses of the Free People's of the North to the return of the Shadow in Mirkwood and the re-occupation of Dol Guldur.

And, for those interested in regions and periods outside the licensed material contained within The Hobbit and The LotR, the suggested section "Prelude to The Darkening of Mirkwood" could alternate with another section publishing campaign ideas outside the boundaries of TOR's current or intended future releases. This might be something like "The Untold Tales" or "Tales Untold". In this way, every other issue could support the current (and anticipated) future TOR material; and the other could support adventures outside the areas covered by TOR but utilizing its simple and elegant system.

For the second suggestion, a section devoted to adventure ideas, this could be a place to plant seeds for standalone adventures. In this way, the fanzine could provide a useful resource when LMs need "filler" adventures or tie-in material between campaigns, etc. TOR forum has a few posts dedicated to such ideas as well as many more where the topic included ideas for adventures. Without culling everything at once, maybe each issue could mine the forum for three to five ideas for standalone adventures. This might be a nice content for something like "Second Breakfast" especially if a writer offers up his or herself who could open the section conversationally like a Hobbit-ish chat over tea and cakes with a few lads and lasses...!

The third section suggested seems self evident given the wonderful work of HoF and similar publications.

Another section of interest might be an ongoing dialogue about characterizing the game. Think here of an intended audience of veteran or beginning gamers new to TOR. Because TOR (in my opinion) plays quite differently from most other fantasy RGPs, something evidenced through this forum and the discussions centering on game mechanics in relation to experienced players expectations, it might be nice to solicit an article per issue where someone discusses an aspect of the game, a characterization of sorts that would orient the new player or LM. I know in the gaming circles I'm familiar with the comment, "this is wasn't I expected" often from the MERP or LOT enthusiast, or "is this really how this rule works? Wouldn't it be better if it was tweaked this way..." from the those steeped in the venerable traditions of D&D, etc. might be justly served by a read that puts the game in context from those that have been playing it as well as those with a familiarity and background in Tolkien . In fact, i've mused over starting a new topic to begin discussing characterizations of the game, something new players might be directed to without having to pour over all the posts if they want a sense of what TORs about. As I alluded to, I've seen a few experienced player go through a culture shock of sorts in the first few sessions. The game fits incredibly well with Tolkien's style and his Middle-earth, but not always with expectations of how a fantasy RPG should work.

Thank you for bring this idea to light and opening a discussion for it, I second all the previous comments that it would be most welcomed.

Regards,
E

I like your idea, Kaltharion, and your mock cover looks great! BUT ... I'm thinking that a Tolkien reference/quote as the title would be better than referencing The Road not Taken by Robert Frost (i.e., "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference"). So, I suggest ... "Roads Go Ever Ever On" instead.

The Mathom-House

I like the idea of this Fanzine; like someone mentioned above, it would be an ideal medium to hold players over while the official products are being developped and delivered.

For title, I like:

There and back Again

How wonderful to see all this enthusiasm!

I've spent the last couple of days thinking a lot about names, and right now I'm leaning very strongly toward naming the 'zine Waybread.

Reasons:
* It isn't grandiose.
* It suggests the role I envision for the 'zine: something to keep players going in between major destinations (i.e., C7's official releases).
* It's a travel-themed name, and TOR's treatment of journeys as a significant part of play distinguishes it from most other RPGs.

However, if everyone hates hates hates the name "Waybread", I'll consider some alternatives. (But don't suggest lembas; I already considered that and feel it's too specific, plus the element "way" is full of old-English and Germanic flavor.)

Sections within the 'zine would include:

Second Breakfast: discussion/clarification of game rules. (After you've had some time to "digest" the core books, why not follow that reading with a second breakfast?)

Lesser Rings: new rules and options created by fans. (I'm not completely sold on this section title, so suggest alternatives if you like!)

A Dangerous Gift: tips and advice from players. (Gildor Inglorion: "Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise...". I also considered Elrond's phrase "Counsel for the peril of the world", but that's a bit wordy. Other suggestions?)

Round the Corner: Locations and scenarios ready to be dropped into your game. (From Bilbo's poem: "still round the corner there may wait / a new road or a secret gate")

The Legends of Our Time: short or serialized adventures. (From Aragorn's words to Eomer: "For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time.")

Okay...let's hear your critiques.

Waybread? Hmmm ... I love it!

I really like most of the section titles, too. Suggested alternates for the ones I'm lukewarm about include:

• Lesser Rings: For the same type of section, how about Reflections from the Entmoot or Ent Draughts? This is to reflect the changing nature of new rules/options (the second one) or advising not being "too hasty" about incorporating them (the first one). Just a thought....
• A Dangerous Gift: For the same type of section, how about Trusting to Friendship (paraphrased from Gandalf's supporting Merry and Pippin's inclusion in the Company of the Ring:"I think, Elrond, that in this matter it would be well to trust to their friendship than to great wisdom.")?

How about "Affairs of Wizards"?

Could it be worthwile to contemplate whether such fanzine plans could be realized within the context of Other Minds? Concerning layout etc. there is much room for adaptation

Best
Tolwen

I'd vote no.
Apples and oranges in approach and in many ways intent.
Other Minds has baggage that isn't really appropriate for TOR.

The things that have appeared are not a necessity or blueprint for everything else. It's open for everything that is related to gaming in Middle-earth. The things that have been published by now are those that have been submitted.

Could you detail your points concerning difference in approach, intent and baggage?

Best
Tolwen

Sure, briefly.
(Apples) TOR is a different approach to gaming than what has come before (Oranges).
If you prefer a simpler comparison: The Hobbit vs The Lord of the Rings.
Or even The Lord of the Rings vs The Silmarillion. Tones are different.

You've also answered one yourself.
"It's open for everything that is related to gaming in Middle-earth."
I'd say that TOR is not for everything related to Middle earth gaming.

TOR Adventures Over the Wild is specific in tone and setting. A TOR fanzine might best be served to actually utilize that specific tone and setting and not generally any age Middle Earth playing.

You even state "within the context of Other Minds"; attempting to bend the direction of a TOR fanzine into some sort of promo/primer for Other Minds as if that is the true focus of how the game should be approached and played.

Then there is the baggage that Other Minds has of being heavily MERP inspired and slanted as one of the suitcases that it lugs around.

Fresh ideas and a new perspective I would think might be a really good idea for a game that has a fresh perspective and new ideas on how to play.

I'm not exactly sure what it is that you are asking Tolwen.

Are you suggesting that instead of the TOR specific Webzine that is being mooted that potential articles should instead be submitted to OM instead?

Yep. The more submission that are TOR-related, the more useful it'd get for someone using the game.
And he can ignore anything else that doesn't suit him/her.

I firmly believe that inclusion of a variety of ideas and suggestions on a single platform from which everyone can take inspiration and directly useable stuff is better than segregation between "us" and "they".

Best
Tolwen

That's the feeling I got from your original post, but didn't wish to think you'd intentionally set out to appropriate the entire idea.
I gave the benefit of the doubt.

To be blunt, it really is an "us vs they" situation.
Sort of like turning Barbarians of Lemuria (fantastic game!) into D&D.
I noticed some are even trying to turn TOR into D&D.

Slightly OT:
On BoL, I stripped out the setting specific material, re-set it with a Red Sonja thematic presentation in a word doc for players (Chain-mail bikinis--how can you go wrong?) and it is now my go-to-game for Conan and Red Sonja Sword & Sorcery play.
Buy BoL!

There is certainly no "bend" - neither past or planned - in any direction. The wording might have been not the best, but it's how I answered to Halbarad.
OM has no "agenda" beyond being a platform for Middle-earth gaming-related ideas.
If a lot of TOR content would be submitted, the "bend" will surely go into that direction. In essence, OM is what the people who submit content make it.

Best
Tolwen

Ok, someone pens a submission on Dale that jars a little with the previous incarnation from HoF. Would you, Issachar, consider the original submission to be the definitive one or is it a case of new Webzine, new take?
Same question to you Tolwen, if someone was to do a re-imagining of the OM essay on the Balchoth, would you include it in a future issue based on it's own merit?

Hi Halbarad!

I do not make any content-related requirements. This would be necessary if it is the goal to make a unified whole line of products with a central authority who decides what (and how) to develop and what not. But IMO this is the job of the licensee (C7 in this case). Here I expect a uniform and integrating arc among the various publications. This is something which MERP more often than not failed to provide. I'm confident though that C7 does this requirement justice.

For OM contributions, I as the editor do not require something like this. Of course it is good if someone (or several people) develop a theme in a concerted action to maximize the benefit for the reader/gamer. This is no pre-requisite though.

IMO, the purpose of a fanzine is to promote its theme (of course); here roleplaying in Middle-earth. The editor is not the one to say how someone has to write or develop his ideas (e.g. telling people what and how they have to think and write). The quality and usefulness is the reader's to judge. IMO such a fanzine's purpose is to pool ideas and support creativity. Thus I am fully supportive of concerted actions, but that's not mandatory.

If someone writes an article about the Kingdom of Dale, and someone else has other ideas, should I decide which one to "allow" and which not? Publishing both and drawing inspiration from different approaches on the same subject is what makes for a living community. If I were to censor submissions in this sense, I think it would rob everyone of the living creativity that is among the most important tasks (perhaps even the most important one) of a fanzine.

As to your concrete question: I'd heartily welcome a re-imagining of the old OH 'Balchoth' article. It has some good points, but also weaknesses. I'd also be available for any advice if I'm asked for it. Here the only thing I'd ask for is to give the original author due credit, but then you are free to develop your own ideas.

The only thing I do concerning "control" of submissions is general quality control and redundancy. The former does not include any filter for specific interpretations of a subject! The last is there to prevent just a re-printing of something that is already freely available elsewhere. Updates of existing material is something else of course, as long as it qualifies for containing a "critical mass" of new content.

I hope this helps

Best
Tolwen

Thank you Tolwen, that helps greatly. My major concern would have been that OH/OM and HoF have all covered a lot of ground over the years. A completely new Webzine would have opened up all those old subjects for re-imagining. In light of your reply, though, it seems my concern was misplaced.

OK. Nothing that has appeared in OM (or OH) so far is set in stone or claims to be the definite answer to a given subject. If you find it lacking or in need of a review/change, just go for it!

Best
Tolwen

I'm thinking not. Too, having read many issues of both Hall of Fire and Other Minds, I'd prefer a 'zine dedicated specifically to The One Ring RPG instead of sandwiching it into Other Minds' already full plate.

I agree with Throrsgold and others who have expressed reservations over incorporating TOR fan material into Other Minds. Other Minds is a great publication, don't get me wrong, but having to sift through the stuff that has a MERP slant, Decipher's LOTRRPG slant, and then TOR would be more trouble than it's worth, IMO.

Other Minds is firmly entrenched as the go-to 'zine for MERP, and I think TOR needs its own, since, as others have said, it approaches the setting quite differently than the other Middle Earth rpgs. It seems like a "turf war" between differing perspectives would be almost inevitable.

That's my two cents, anyway.

I'm undecided.

OM has the advantage that it's actually up and running. This new Webzine may, or may not show up at all. I imagine that a lot of time and effort is required by the editing team. OM is tried and trusted, if slanted overtly towards Merp. As Tolwen points out though, TOR submissions will change the slant in that direction.
I would like to think that it would be possible to support both, especially now that there is no previously printed article to be regarded as 'definitive'.

That OM is perceived as being MERP-slanted is understandable and has IMHO several reasons. Among them is the "cultural imprinting" of many authors as far as roleplaying games (in Middle-earth) are concerned in the 1980s and '90s when MERP was the official game. In addition, the LotRRPG game just went belly-up when OM started, leaving no "official" game to be supportable and so everyone continued with what he was familiar with.

As far as the editor is concerned, I would be very glad for TOR to have a much stronger - or even the dominating - impact on the stuff OM is publishing. IMO, even a principally system-agnostic fanzine should have the official game as the undisputed leader in the content that is related to a specific game format.

Best
Tolwen

First off: I've never read OM. I'm not a MERP-fan/player today (though god knows we played our share of that one during it's golden days)

My two cents...

If I was a die-hard MERP player that still clung in there, hanging on for my bare life... I would personally loath to see upstarts stomping in and disrupting my golden source-fanzine. I mean honestly.. where would they turn if we romped all over them?

Granted a lot of you are in that category... but you also seem to like TOR... I have an inkling not all of those MERP-guys share the sentiment.

I would prefer to keep them separate out of respect for that part of the community. And hey.... if they want our stuff they suddenly got TWO fanzines instead of just one right? Freedom of choice! They can have both or stick to their single-file version.

Let's say I was a huge WFRP fan and followed Warpstone Fanzine... Let's say I loved that one to bits... right... and then 3rd edition came along...

/wolf

Ooh, politics!

I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't kept up with OM since the first couple of issues. I had the impression -- now corrected -- that it was first and foremost a scholarly Tolkien 'zine...and as such, also a rich resource for role-playing in Middle-earth. Now that I've looked over a couple of recent issues, I see that the content is actually focused on RPG application, and not just scholarship for its own enjoyment.

Folks have made some good points here. OM is established; Waybread isn't yet. The MERP focus of OM is "de facto", and could change if a lot more TOR content were submitted. Some players seem to really dislike the idea of a zine that crosses systems; they want one that focuses on their preferred system. Others think the benefit of concentrating content in one place outweighs the possible nuisance of having to sift to find "stuff for my game".

So...what do I think about it?

Let's start with what exactly I have in mind for Waybread:

1) I think of the zine as having a fairly short lifespan, an endpoint within a couple of years or so. I know that that's probably my exhaustion threshold -- maybe earlier, if content is scarce.

2) As mentioned earlier, I'd like to see a fairly frequent rate of publication early on, maybe tapering off after a few months.

3) The focus would be pretty much entirely on TOR: helping players learn the game, offering extensions to the rule set, and putting adventures and similar content that can be added to a campaign.

4) Although I hope I can truthfully say Waybread isn't a vanity project, I know I'll derive a lot of personal satisfaction from getting back into the production of a webzine: doing layouts, editing, and writing articles. It's a good feeling to put something out there and think, hey, I did that!

Except for the rate of releases (possibly), I don't think any of these things are compelling reasons why Waybread needs to be its own publication. It could just as well be a new emphasis on TOR content for Other Minds. And there's another consideration, too: OM already has an established staff and Web infrastructure.

I guess this boils down to: I'd have fun doing my own temporary TOR-focused project. But I've gone through the decline of one webzine**, and wouldn't want to push OM toward a similar fate by siphoning attention away from it. It's nice to think that there's room for more than one Tolkien RPG zine to thrive, but maybe that's not realistic. In a small community, everyone needs to be a good neighbor. Would creating a new zine be more disruptive or more beneficial? I dunno. I need to think about it some more. I'll be interested to hear from anyone else who has a perspective on it.

** I mean "decline" only in terms of participation by readers and contributors. The folks who have continued to produce HoF for the past three years deserve admiration. I bailed out; they've stayed with the ship and kept it going without even a skeleton crew.

Halbarad: To answer your specific question about Dale articles, Tolwen said everything so well that I can just say ditto. If there are two or more articles on Dale with different takes, that wouldn't bother me, as long as both were done well and remained reasonably true to the sources.

FWIW - there are valid points on both sides as to whether or not to make a TOR only zine or to include submission in OM.

I will say I lean slightly towards including in OM.

In the past Dragon Magazine included info for multiple game platforms Sometimes the content could transcend a specific system and be used in another. There's nothing convincing me that none of the content in OM for MERP or would be for TOR would not be useable by the other camp.

The zine is already in existence so it speeds that process up.

The biggest reason to include IMO is that it would help put TOR content out there to other potential fans that had not yet jumped on board.

All that said - I would like a TOR only zine - but I think it makes more practical sense to not. Kobold Quarterly is a pretty successful magazine now, and it has multiple game systems written about within.

And as far as this "turf war" of "us and they" - this is nothing. You should have seen the horrors that came in the wake of 4th edition D&D announcement that continued to haunt the internet for even a year after its release.

My personal opinion is to maintain OM and Waybread as separate entities.

Issachar, i have enjoyed HoF for years. Its layout and articles were well done and I would like to see that style continue with Waybread.
Tolwen, I enjoy OM as well, I just feel that OM has its own direction that does not entirely follow the feel of HoF and a future Waybread.

This is just my opinion, but its my gut feeling that keeping these two projects separate will be for the best.

My 2 cents, or pence, or... well, you know.

Very good observations with whom I can wholeheartedly agree. The publication schedule is dictated - as you yourself know - by several key factors: Number of submissions and staff availability (real life etc.). With input from TOR both of these can improve drastically, so that I see no problem in getting more Issues out. All technical questions like layout, release schedule etc. are manageable.

I agree totally about a small community breaking down into micro-communities over topics that are sometimes not looking like a problem for someone not deeply immersed in the theme (and sometimes a problem is not recognizable even then).

I see though that there seems to be a preference for segregation rather than integration within said small community.

Best
Tolwen

I don't know Tolwen. I think it's a bit early to 'throw in the towel' as only seven people have actually given an indication of their preference. Given that Issachar has given a very honest assessment of the perils of splitting the community, the need to recruit editorial staff etc. and the finite nature of Waybread, I am becoming inclined to think that, perhaps, OM might be the way to go.

Well, we'll see whether there are more people to voice their preference. Perhaps it is not decided yet as you mention.

Best
Tolwen